CHENEY – Water issues have been a topic of discussion for much of the West Plains, and Fairways Golf Course is facing similar issues that may force the closure of the front nine holes according to General Manager and Head Professional Dakota White.
“So, this is going into year six of this water rate lawsuit with the city of Spokane,” White said. “It’s a class action lawsuit and it’s just been drug out for years now.”
White said the city of Spokane has continued to increase the course’s water bill by adding fees on top of the rate increases.
“In 2021 there was a new water fee approved by the city council, and it’s a capital use fee,” he said. “So, in 2021 it cost us an additional $42,000 on top of what we were already paying. Which we’ve been litigating for around six years now.”
White said he challenged that fee because of current and ongoing litigation, but a judge ruled that the course had to pay it. To cover the cost of that fee, he had to sell some golf carts.
“We were given the court order three weeks ago and that gave us 10 days to pay the $42,000,” he said. “So, we had to sell off 18 of our golf carts to come up with it because I had no other way to generate that much money in such a short time.”
White said the course has been busy through the pandemic, although rates have continued to go up
“As far as our ability to stay busy and generate revenue we’ve done good,” he said. “It’s just that as this lawsuit has gone on and on and we have continued to pay increasingly higher rates. Some people think we haven’t had to pay water rates through the lawsuit, but we have actually paid over $300,000 since the beginning of the lawsuit.”
White said the impact of the possible closure would be felt through many levels of the community as well, because many people utilize the course for recreational use. The local high schools and Eastern Washington University use the course for their golf teams.
Many community members aren’t aware closing the front nine holes is being considered.
Cheney resident Richard Parks uses the course frequently to practice and putt around but makes sure he gets the full 18 hole experience sat least once a week. He also thinks golf courses are very important parts of the surrounding community.
“It’s good for everybody from our youth up to seniors,” Parks said. “It’s important for seniors to be able to get out and do some light exercise and walk around the course. For the kids it can create friendships and camaraderie in the sport.”
White said the closure won’t eliminate the capacity for school use, but will limit it. The course will no longer be able to host full 18-hole competitions and will also put everyone playing on the back nine so players can’t quite spread out as much.
The closure is only a consideration at this point, but according to White if he can’t find another realistic solution within the next couple of months the front nine holes of the course will be closed to lower costs. “We are trying to be as creative in our thinking as possible,” White said. “As of yet we don’t have any working solutions lined out.”
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